Menu Plan Monday

One of my goals for the year involves becoming more financially savvy.  Considering I'm a PhD student right now and my parents are helping to support my endeavor...they are probably thrilled I'm doing this!  I'm trying to slowly add practices to my life that help me save or be more organized with my finances.  One of these practices involves menu-planning.

My sister and I were really good about menu-planning and swapping leftovers (as you probably remember from this post), but with the holidays we got out of the swing of it.  So, I'm planning to post my menu on Mondays, link up to a few menu plan web-sites, and provide you with a recipe or two along the way.  Hopefully, you'll enjoy them.

Monday: Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Tuesday: French Dip Sammies (from leftovers)

Wednesday: Easy Pot Pie (from leftovers)

Thursday: Chicken and Broccoli Braids

Friday: Brie Marmalade Appetizer (I'm having dinner with some friends, and I'm responsible for bringing an appetizer).  Also, I'll feature this recipe on Friday.

This menu is linked to:

• Organizing Junkie's Menu Planning Monday
• Dining with Debbie's Crock Pot Wednesday

Decorative Clipboards

Remember this post?  For a quick recap, I declared this "The Year of the Handmade Gift."  I'm a little nervous about creating all these gifts, so I decided to get a head start.

I began with my nieces and nephew.  They are all pretty stinking adorable, aren't they?

Well, Lilly and Will (the oldest) started kindergarten this year.  They are constantly writing in the journals and creating everything they can.  So, I decided a decorative clipboard and notepad would be great for the two of them.  Being that Ella and Libby mimic anything the older two do, I created one for them too.

Here is a quick and easy tutorial on how to create these for yourself!

Although you can use a traditional clipboard, Michaels sells clipboards with removable metal clips.  I purchased these (slightly more expensive...about $1.50 each).  After detaching the metal clips, spray painted the outside of the wooden boards.

Next, spray paint the metal clips a color that coordinates with the paper you want to use.  Hint, you may need to use a fingernail file to remove any excess spray paint that hangs over the edges.

Cut paper down to approximately 1/2 inch less than the size of the clipboard.  Ink around the sides of the paper with a coordinating color ink pad.

Using a foam paintbrush, add Mod Podge to the back of the paper.  Attach the paper to the clipboards.

Use a roller to remove any air bubbles.

Add a layer of Mod Podge to the top of the paper and clipboard.  Allow to dry and repeat this process.

Reattach the metal clips to the clipboard.  Cut a circle and attach the initial of the child to the punch.  Attach the circle to the metal clip with Mod Podge (using the same method as above).  After the circle punch is dry, paint Mod Podge over the metal clip.  Allow to dry and repeat the process.

Lastly, I attached some ribbon to the top for a decorative touch.

Initially, I was worried about how to make a "boy" version of this project...until I remembered Will's insane love for the Georgia Bulldogs.  So, I used "Super G" paper and left off the ribbon to create a male version.

Here are the other three finished projects.

    

Next up...the notepads that match!

Barnes Bad News Bears

My first year teaching was the hardest year of my life.  I only had 16 students, but 15 began my class below grade level in reading and math.  I cried every afternoon of my first week (and many other too).  I often thought I had been cursed with "Barnes Bad News Bears."

My only sanity that year was my mentor teacher.  Glenda was a veteran teacher who had come back to work after her grown son left for college.  She worked half days teaching early intervention because she had strained vocal cords and couldn't speak all day long.  She spent her entire time at school in my classroom because my entire class qualified for early intervention services.  Glenda was unique.  She didn't need to work.  She and her husband lived comfortably (or slightly above) without her paycheck.  However, she chose to take her strengths and help others.

My final year teaching, Glenda resigned mid-year because she was diagnosed with cancer.  She and her husband packed up and moved to Seattle, where the leading cancer specialists were located.  Glenda and I swapped letters over the past three years.  Before I left for Hawaii, I received a Christmas card/letter from Glenda's husband.  He explained that the past year had been wonderful.  Although Glenda was still battling health related issues, they had spent the year traveling together.  Her son had traveled multiple times from Florida to Washington to visit.  There was a family picture included too.  Glenda looked so happy.

Today, I returned from Hawaii and was greeted with a message from another former teacher.  She left the news that Glenda died a week ago.  I'll admit that I'm shocked how hard this news has hit me.  Glenda was honestly an amazing woman who portrayed exactly what every teacher should...a true love for her job and concern for every child she taught.

Photoshop Elements

I've been wanting to break into the digital scrapbooking world for a while, but it is nerve-racking trying to figure it out.  In fact, I've harassed several of my followers for a tutorial on how to use Photoshop Elements.  One night (when I'm sure I should have been writing my dissertation), I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try.  Ironically, I actually liked how it turned out.  So, I've now created a recipe card and a grocery shopping list too.  Here is the grocery shopping list.

I'm hoping to add my recipe cards weekly as I try new recipes.  It is a goal of mine for the year to get my recipes organized digitally...we'll see how that goes.

Anyway, as I devoured the web trying to learn as much as possible about Photoshop, I stumbled across an AMAZING blog.  Summer creates free digital scrapbooking packs at Summertime Designs.  Although her designs and kits are free, she does have a spot for you to contribute to her blog (considering she is doing this while also juggling four kiddies...it would probably be beneficial to contribute to the creativity juices).  Also, Summer is super speedy at answering any questions or checking out your designs.  I've kind of become a stalker of her site.  Anyway, she says it is okay for me to share my designs with you.

Click here to download the grocery list to use for yourself.

Also, this is the first time I've used this service to upload documents.  So, if you try to download the grocery list and it doesn't work...let me know.

Good news, Good news!

Most of you know I've spent the last two weeks vacationing in Hawaii.  Don't feel too envious, as the overall purpose of the trip was for two presentations I'm giving tomorrow and Sunday (which of course are in the middle of perfect sun time 1:15-2:45...what were they thinking).

Anyway, the new semester is beginning, and I had all intentions on graduating in May or August.  I'm still aiming for August, but I've really got to get on the ball to make that happen.  The next part of my program involves a meeting where I present the first 3 (of 5) chapters of my dissertation.  The one condition of this meeting is that you actually have the first 3 chapters written.  I have a meeting with my advisor about chapter 1 (which I've submitted and am awaiting edits) on Tuesday.  I worked very hard this week to finish up my draft of chapter 2, and I'm about to send that off to my advisor too.  Maybe I can get edits and comments about both on Tuesday (that might be pushing it).

I have an insane week after my early 6am return to Atlanta on Tuesday morning.  I'm headed straight to Athens to meet with my advisor and teach a 2 hour class on special education technology (luckily I prepared for that while I was here too).  Then, I'm headed back for the first of what I hope to be many job interviews!

Yeah...that is really my good news.  Not to overshadow the fact that I've submitted a draft for both chapters 1 and 2, but I have my first interview on Thursday afternoon.

This position seems (from the job description and information) to be a perfect fit for me.  The focus is in early childhood education at a small Christian college in the Metro-Atlanta area (granted anything above Macon and below Tennessee is Metro-Atlanta).  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and sending up MANY prayers.

If you have a second and would like to help, I ask that you will pray for the following things...
1.  That I will be focused and calm and able to express my true self throughout the interview
2.  That the interview time will provide me with information and an understanding of the inner-workings of the professors, department, and school
3.  That I can see and follow God's will as I continue this process

Blog Button

So, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I just spent well over an hour figuring out how to create a blog button for the Persnickety Peacock.  It was a pain...not going to lie!

Anyway, I'd love for you to add it to your blog.  Here are the easy steps to add it...

1.  Copy the link from the box below my button.

2.  Click CUSTOMIZE in the top right hand corner of YOUR blog.

3.  Choose ADD A GADGET on the right hand side of this page.

5.  A new window will pop up.  Choose HTMP/JAVASCRIPT by clicking on the + next to this choice.

6.  A new window will pop up. Type Blogs I Love in the TITLE section, paste the code in the CONTENT section, and click SAVE at the bottom.

If you do this, please link back and let me know.

New Year Challenge

I promise I haven't forgotten about you all.  In fact, I've thought numerous times about posting.  However, I just haven't made it the priority I want it to be.  Anyway, as I am sitting in my hotel room listening to the ocean...well, honestly I'm listening to the city sounds of Honolulu (but I wanted to make you a little envious).  Okay, back to my reason for posting...

This Christmas I received handmade gifts from a sorority sister.  She created tile coasters and label name plates.  These gift were extremely thoughtful and included several crafts I wanted to make myself.

She sparked an idea for me...hence, my New Year Challenge.

I've decided for the entire year, I will only give homemade gifts.  Obviously, every portion of the gift won't be handmade, but they will all include some sort of a self-created aspect.

I'm really excited about this challenge.  I definitely think it will challenge my creativity and time management (considering I will spend more time making the gift than I would purchasing one).

I'll keep you posted (ha, literally), as I plan to post all of my creations here on this blog.